Cichlids · Lamprologus
Ocellatus shell-dweller
Lamprologus ocellatus · Lake Tanganyika: shell-strewn sand with scattered rocks, usually 6-12 m
Photo: Cedricguppy - Loury Cédric, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
23–27 °C 73–81 °F
pH
7.5–9 hard, alkaline water
Adult size
6 cm 2.4 in
Swims
Bottom mostly on the floor and in caves
Keep together
2 or more a shoal feels safe
Current ≈
Calm still or slow water
Food
Meaty foods
Temperament
Territorial
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with low flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Leopard frog L134
Plecos · 11 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water -
Celestial pearl danio
Rasboras & danios · 2.5 cm · mid-water -
Cherry barb
Barbs · 5 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Need different temperatures and need a different pH and will eat the ocellatus shell-dweller
-
Will eat the ocellatus shell-dweller
-
Aggressive and will eat the ocellatus shell-dweller
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.
From keepers
Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.
Questions keepers ask
How big does an Ocellatus shell-dweller get?
About 6 cm (2.4 in) as an adult.
What temperature does an Ocellatus shell-dweller need?
23–27 °C (73–81 °F).
What pH does an Ocellatus shell-dweller need?
pH 7.5–9.
Does an Ocellatus shell-dweller need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 2.
Is the Ocellatus shell-dweller aggressive?
It is territorial. Give it its own cave or space.
What does an Ocellatus shell-dweller eat?
Feed meaty foods: frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and quality sinking pellets.
Where does the Ocellatus shell-dweller come from?
Lake Tanganyika: shell-strewn sand with scattered rocks, usually 6-12 m.
What fish can live with an Ocellatus shell-dweller?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Leopard frog (L134), Amano shrimp, Bolivian ram, Bronze corydoras.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 23 | Sourced |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 27 | Sourced |
| pH min | 7.5 | Sourced |
| pH max | 9 | Sourced |
| Adult size (cm) | 6 | Sourced |
| Flow | Low | Estimate |
| Swim level (top / middle / bottom) | bottom | Sourced |
| Habitat | lake | Sourced |
| Smallest happy group | 2 | Sourced |
| Temperament | Territorial | Sourced |
| Diet | Carnivore | Sourced |
| Behaviour tags | hard_water | Sourced |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.